I couldn’t resist posting this — hat tip to Matthew for it!
“Record-Setting Sale Of An Ancient Assyrian Stone Relief Sparks Looting Fears In Iraq”
$28 million for a seven-foot carved relief of an apkallu. Readers will recall that apkallu are either depicted with wings (wings denote a divine nature) or fish (which denotes their origin / domicile in the abyss). This auctioned piece is of the winged variety. The description and its “meaning” leave a good bit to be desired, but I thought you’d be interested.
